The overall winner and undisputed champion is none other
than Lake Erie and it still retains the “Best Fishery in the
World” title. Even though things have changed and loading
the boat with giant eye popping walleyes isn’t as easy as
it used to be it’s still good, real good. Real good means
you can still have days reminiscent of an era gone by, and
includes solid catches of six, seven, and eight pounders.
Throw in a serious shot at a big hawg and you have what’s
available now, especially this time of the year. The big average
of old has been on the slide as of late and is biological
matter. Brain samples were taken from fish caught during a
recent tournament which provides a more accurate method for
aging fish, and the results were surprising! What the researchers
found was that the ten to fourteen pounders were actually
twenty years old! The fact is the huge year class that had
been a big part of angler’s catches in recent years has reached
the limits of it’s natural life expectancy and is dying off.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to
follow and take advantage of this big class and have been
fishing at least one tournament on Erie ever year for the
last thirteen years. Even though a big class is on it’s way
out there’s more coming to fill the gap, it just takes time.
Late May and early April is one of the best times to be on
the big water as it coincides with the end of the spawning
period. Although the post spawn period is usually associated
with some of the toughest conditions you’ll ever be faced
with , Erie is definitely the exception. You can find the
key to overcoming these tough fishing conditions in the numbers.
The spawning season is a time of the year when walleyes bunch
up in heavy concentrations, on or near major spawning reefs
and shoals. Lake Erie is no exception and the walleyes stack
into these aforementioned areas like nowhere else on earth.
With that many fish bunched up into limited confines, the
odds of finding a few biters starts to get better and better.
Although some of the Lake Erie spawn occurs in it’s numerous
incoming rivers and streams, most takes place on it’s rocky
reefs and bars.
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Many of these spawning reefs are located in the western
most part of the lake, and include the Bass Islands and
all points west. Walleyes that roam the main part of the
lake for much of the year, begin a migration that leads
them into the western basin by early spring. The rocky
reefs and bars are easily found on any of the many good
maps that are available, and are the very place where
you should start your search. Some of the best reefs are
smack dab in the middle of the Camp Perry firing range
and can be fished, but pay attention and be on your way
when the warning siren is sounded. Buoys A,B,C,D and E
are in harms way and all mark reefs that see major concentrations
of spawning fish. Although you would normally expect spawning
activities to take place in shallow water, the Erie reefs
are an exception to the rule, and the deeper structure
should not be overlooked. These reefs will attract and
hold smaller male walleyes for up to three or four weeks,
and can make for some fantastic fishing. They are easily
fished by simply throwing out an anchor and working vertically
with a jig tipped with a minnow. |
It’s pretty basic but can be a real gas, especially when
you’re getting hit on every drop and when you pull a fish
to the surface and see four or five fish following it in.
While the top of the reefs can really heat up, it’s not the
place to catch the real hawgs. Those are the females which
are the larger of the species and can be found close by, but
require a completely different approach. To get in on the
big fish, try looking down and out. Females don’t seem to
waste much time when it comes to the spawning cycle as they
move in, drop their eggs, and then move off. They’ll often
head to the first break or drop-off and take a little time
to rest, laying and recuperating in deeper water. Even on
Erie fish that are spawning, or have just finished, are not
very catchable. Walleyes don’t all spawn at the same time
however, and plenty of fish can be found in the various stages.
The ones to key on are the fish that have yet to spawn, and
those that have had a week or two to recuperate. To get in
on the action you can try dragging a jig and minnow along
the base of the drop off. Because you’ll be working deeper
water, a heavier jig is in order. Jigs in the 3/8 to 1/2 oz.
range tipped with a minnow are the ticket. A simple lift and
drop is about all the action you’ll need to trigger a strike.
The next place to look is the open water, beyond any type
of structure. As big walleyes become active they’ll suspend
in open water, relating to nothing but their next meal. They
are easily marked on a good graph like the Raymarine C80 which
has a dual cone transducer. The C80 has a transducer with
both an 11 degree and 45 degree cone, and the wide angle 45
degree beam takes a wide swath which can help to quickly eliminate
water. If you’re not marking fish they’re not there and you
better keep moving until you do. As previously mentioned active
walleyes will suspend, but when they’re not riding high they
can often be found holding tight to the bottom, even if the
bottom is mud or silt. A passing cold front can push them
tight to the bottom but may still be caught. Even if they’re
a little off, at least a few of those fish holding tight can
be caught. A bottom bouncer and a spinner and live bait combo
is one of the best ways to yank walleyes that are glued to
the bottom.
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Spinners and crawlers trolled behind bottom bouncers
are a top pick for bottom hugging walleyes and bigger
blades in sizes #4 or #5 are what the situation calls
for. The bigger blades get noticed and remember; you’re
fishing for Lake Erie walleyes which are much bigger on
average than just about anywhere else. Another consideration
is water temperature as spinner rigs become more productive
in the fifty degree and above range. If you’re dealing
with fifty degree and colder water temps you might be
better off sticking with crankaits, which are better cold
water producers. As conditions begin to stabilize and
the weather steadily improves, more and more fish will
lift off the bottom and suspend which can make for peak
fishing conditions. When that happens trolling crankbaits
becomes the most effective means for putting huge numbers
of walleyes in the boat. Crankbaits like the Husky Jerk
and Deep Husky Jerk can prove to be too much for all those
eyes to resist. |
To get a bait to ride at the right depth you’ll probably
have to experiment and there are several ways to get the job
done. One includes using a crank that will dive to the desired
depth and another involves using lead core line, inline weights,
and snap weights. A shallow running bait can be run at just
about any depth with the addition of weight and adding an
inline weight keeps it simple. The problem though is that
you tend to lose fish when it gets rough and when you would
be better off switching to snap weights which can be added
and removed fifty feet or more in front of the bait. Another
early season pattern involves working shallow water fish inside
the big spawning reefs and the action can be phenomenal. Trolling
cranks like #7 or #9 Shad Raps along seven to ten foot shoreline
breaks can produce lots of fish and most will be on the smaller
side, but there are some monsters the occasionally get caught.
The overall riding factor that can effect your early season
Erie success is weather, particularly wind. Wind can turn
clear water to mud overnight, and completely shut down the
hottest action. Once it gets stirred up it might take at least
a couple of days of settling out to clear things up enough
to get it all going again If you’re faced with muddy conditions
try to find the clearest water you can, which typically lies
east of the islands.
Rick Olson
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